Computer Program Detail Page

Point Charge Electric Field Demo Model

written by
Wolfgang Christian

The Point Charge Electric Field Demo model shows the electric field with multiple point charge configurations and vector field visualizations. Users can select these configurations from a drop down menu or can create their own configurations.

The Point Charge Electric Field Demo model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) modeling tool. It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive. Double click the ejs_em_PointChargeElectricFieldDemo.jar file to run the program if Java is installed.

Single Particle Modification of Point Charge ModelThe Single Charge Electric Field model shows the electric field from a single charge and introduces the concept of a vector field. The electric field is defined as the force per unit charge that would be experienced by a very small test charge at a given location. …
The Single Charge Electric Field model shows the electric field from a single charge and introduces the concept of a vector field. The electric field is defined as the force per unit charge that would be experienced by a very small test charge at a given location. The Single Charge Electric Field model shows an ideal test charge with an arrow that represents the field at the test charge location. The field magnitude is the length of the arrow at the test charge location and its value is shown in a textbox near the bottom of the view as the test charge is dragged.

High School Lesson Plan (Electric Field)
A lesson plan for high school teachers using the Electric Field Model. Plan includes: essential knowledge, learning ourcomes, student conceptual difficulties, and a Learning Cycle. Authored by Patricia Heller.download 1131kb .pdf
Published: September 10, 2010
previous versions

High School Student Worksheet (Electric Field)
A student worksheet (high school) to accompany the Learning Cycle document and for use with the Electric Field Model. Authored by Patricia Heller.download 502kb .pdf
Published: September 10, 2010
previous versions

Point Charge Electric Field Demo Source Code
The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the EJS Point Charge Electric Field Demo model. Unzip this archive in your EJS workspace to compile and run this model using EJS.download 18kb .zip
Last Modified: August 11, 2010

User comments (1)

If Field Lines can be added, it would a great visualization tool

Author: lookang
Posted: August 21, 2010 at 11:26PM

i have always been very impressed by Physlets Electric field lines java applethttp://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/index.php?topic=734.0the field lines is a concept continued to be explained in textbooks instead of the easily field vectors which is a common visualization in physics Ejs model.

chance to reproduce the field lines in this Ejs model? i believe it will be a great visualization tool.

Standards (5)

AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

4. The Physical Setting

3-5: 4G/E3. Without touching them, an object that has been electrically charged pulls on all other uncharged objects and may either push or pull other charged objects.

AAAS Benchmark Alignments (1993 Version)

4. THE PHYSICAL SETTING

G. Forces of Nature

4G (9-12) #3. There are two kinds of charges?positive and negative. Like charges repel one another, opposite charges attract. In materials, there are almost exactly equal proportions of positive and negative charges, making the materials as a whole electrically neutral. Negative charges, being associated with electrons, are far more mobile in materials than positive charges are. A very small excess or deficit of negative charges in a material produces noticeable electric forces.

Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.

changes made:redesign the panel for control to be bottomadded more options to the menu for ease of usemade the drawing of charges proportional to the chargesmade the collision detection to pause when the test charge is inside the chargesadded evolution page to reflect the physics of motionadded test mass, m = 1 kgadded trail to show path of test charge that can be drag away and it will start from vx=vy=0